[Changes in the residence of elderly people after hospitalization in the Integrated Community Care Ward].

Aim: When elderly people return to their daily lives after inpatient treatment, they may be offered a chance to change the residence to which they are accustomed. The present study clarified the changes in the residence of elderly patients through an Integrated Community Care Ward (ICCW).

Subjects and methods: Patients were admitted to and discharged from the ICCW (53 beds) of Hospital A, located in a city with a population of 30,000 and an aging rate of 37%, for 2 years from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2020. Patients ≥65 years old were included in the study. We conducted a retrospective survey of information recorded in the electronic medical record system and collected information on activities of daily living, medical procedures at the time of discharge, residence before and after hospitalization, and intentions regarding discharge destination within seven days of hospitalization.

Results: Of the 735 patients ≥65 years old who were admitted to the ICCW, 608 were included, excluding 127 patients admitted for scheduled surgeries. The average age was 82.9 years old, with 52% being over 85 years and 26% being over 90 years old. Of the 465 people hospitalized from home, 64% were discharged, 23% changed to a facility or hospital, and the remaining 13% died. More than 80% of the 143 discharged from facilities or hospitals returned to facilities, but 36 (25%) were discharged to a different facility from before admission. Of the 404 patients who were admitted from home and discharged alive, independence in eating, independence in movement, and having family members living with them were independently related factors for achieving discharge home. Regarding the intended discharge destination within 7 days after hospitalization, of the 246 hospitalized patients who wished to be discharged home, 56 said they wanted to be discharged to a facility or hospital, showing a discrepancy of 23%.

Conclusions: Many elderly people changed their residences after admission to the ICCW. While coordinating disagreements within families as well as navigating medical and nursing care constraints, dialogue across multiple professions should be continued to help elderly patients live their own lives.